France could officially order Europe’s largest nuclear aircraft carrier by the end of 2025.

In its recently published 2024 annual report, French shipbuilder Naval Group reaffirmed that France could place an order for the PA-NG (Porte-Avions de Nouvelle Génération, or “New Generation Aircraft Carrier”) aircraft carrier by the end of 2025. The PA-NG, a program designed to deliver the largest warship ever built in Europe by 2038, is intended to replace the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, currently the sole carrier in the French Navy, which has been in service since 2001.
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With a displacement of 78,000 tonnes, a length of 310 meters, and a beam of 85 meters, the future PA-NG aircraft carrier will become the largest warship ever built in Europe. (Picture source: Naval Group)

The detailed preliminary design studies (études d’avant-projet détaillé or APD), notified in April 2023, are ongoing and will provide the technical data necessary to build the production launch offer. On 26 April 2024, Naval Group and TechnicAtome received notification from the Direction générale de l’Armement (DGA) and the Commissariat à l’énergie atomique (CEA) for the award of the first pre-decision-to-launch contract (pré-DLR), focusing on long-lead procurement for the nuclear boiler rooms. This contract initiates the first steps of actual construction work on the K22 nuclear reactors that will power the ship, with production activity scheduled between 2024 and 2029.

The PA-NG will be a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier designed to maintain France’s ability to conduct rapid missions involving deterrence, coercion, or intervention. With a displacement of 78,000 tonnes, a length of 310 meters, and a beam of 85 meters, the vessel will be larger and more capable than its predecessor. It will be equipped with two K22 nuclear reactors generating 220 MW each, enabling an all-electric propulsion system that feeds power to the ship’s propulsion and onboard systems. The propulsion design includes three electric shafts powered by turbines via alternators, integrated in a reinforced nuclear section approximately 100 meters long. The PA-NG is designed for a top speed of 27 knots and a propulsion system offering unlimited range. The two boiler rooms will operate independently and supply steam to turbines that will, in turn, generate electricity for the ship’s motors and systems, including three Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems (EMALS) and three Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) systems.

These launch and recovery systems, manufactured by the American company General Atomics, are being delivered under a $41.6 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract, funded entirely by the French government. The contract covers EMALS and AAG design for French specifications and will run through January 2026. Production is located mainly in San Diego, with some elements handled in Lakehurst, New Jersey, and Tupelo, Mississippi. These systems will replace the steam-powered catapults and hydraulic arresting gear used aboard Charles de Gaulle. Compared to older systems, EMALS provides smoother acceleration, higher sortie rates, and the flexibility to launch aircraft of different masses, from heavy NGF (Next Generation Fighter) jets to lightweight unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). AAG similarly reduces mechanical strain on aircraft and simplifies maintenance. Onboard renderings show two EMALS catapults forward and one on the angled flight deck, offering the ability to perform simultaneous takeoffs and landings, a capability lacking on Charles de Gaulle. Although the Ministry of Armed Forces has not yet finalized the decision on whether to install two or three EMALS systems, the ship's power system is dimensioned to support three. The inclusion of a third catapult would significantly increase launch capacity and provide redundancy in case of system failure.

The integration of next-generation command and control, EMALS, drones, and aircraft will position the PA-NG as a central node in a future multi-domain battle network, comparable to the U.S. Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiative. (Picture source: Naval Group)

The PA-NG’s aviation facilities are designed to support a carrier air wing of over 40 aircraft, the same capacity as the Charles de Gaulle. This will include the Rafale M until around 2040–2050, followed by the NGF developed under the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS/SCAF) program. The NGF is expected to weigh over 35 tonnes, significantly more than the Rafale, and will feature internal weapons bays, V-tail configuration, and stealth characteristics. Additional aircraft will include three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning planes, NH90 Caïman Marine and Airbus H160M “Guépard” helicopters, AS365F Dauphin “Pedro” for rescue missions, and various drones, including surveillance UAVs and UCAVs (unmanned combat air vehicles) likely to emerge under FCAS. Aviation systems will be supported by two deck-edge lifts capable of handling two Rafales simultaneously, and a 17,000 m² flight deck (5,000 more than its predecessor) with a two-deck-high hangar stretching over two-thirds the length of the vessel.

The onboard combat systems will include sensors, radars, and defensive weaponry. The PA-NG’s redesigned island, now shifted further aft compared to Charles de Gaulle, will host Thales’ Sea Fire active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar with four fixed panels. Synthetic imagery reveals updated onboard defensive weaponry, including three vertical launch system (VLS) modules housing 24 MBDA Aster missiles, an evolution from the two double launchers on Charles de Gaulle. Also visible are four 40 mm guns, now shown in the form of Bofors turrets instead of the initially considered Thales/Nexter RAPIDFire systems. For short-range air defense, the ship will be equipped with Simbad-RC launchers firing Mistral 3 missiles. Additional capacity and power are expected to support the integration of directed energy weapons in the future. The final design may still evolve before construction begins.

From an industrial perspective, the PA-NG will be constructed in Saint-Nazaire by MO Porte-Avions, the joint venture of Naval Group and Chantiers de l’Atlantique. TechnicAtome is responsible for reactor development, under the supervision of the DGA and CEA. Despite the scale of this warship, Saint-Nazaire is the only French shipyard with a dry dock large enough for the task. The shipyard, however, is already heavily committed to building cruise liners with contracts worth over €1.5 billion each, limiting flexibility in the production calendar. Naval Group’s Nantes-Indret unit will manufacture and integrate the K22 reactors. Construction of the hull is scheduled to begin around 2031–2032, after which the ship will travel under temporary diesel power to Toulon in 2035 for reactor fueling and sea trials starting in 2036.

The PA-NG’s flight deck will cover 17,000 square meters, 5,000 more than its predecessor, and will support up to 40 aircraft, including fighters, airborne early warning aircraft, helicopters, and a variety of drones. (Picture source: Naval Group)

Budget estimates for the PA-NG project vary but are expected to exceed €10 billion. While initial government planning considered the possibility of two aircraft carriers to ensure naval air wing permanence, fiscal constraints make a second unit unlikely in the near term. Nonetheless, the strategic value of operating two carriers has long been acknowledged, especially given Charles de Gaulle’s periodic unavailability during extended maintenance (ATM) periods. Between 2027 and 2028, the Charles de Gaulle will undergo its third and final ATM, during which its sensors will be upgraded, including the replacement of the rotating DRBV-26D, DRBV-15C, and Arabel radars with the Sea Fire. The SMART-S radar will remain for redundancy. Aster 15 EC missiles, with a doubled range of 60 km, will also be integrated. This upgrade is designed to maintain operational relevance until 2038.

A study is currently underway to evaluate the condition of Charles de Gaulle’s K15 reactors, which were first activated in 1998. The goal is to determine whether reactor aging and vessel conditions would allow a safe extension beyond 2038. If deemed feasible, this would provide margin in case of PA-NG program delays, or potentially support a dual-carrier configuration. Extending Charles de Gaulle’s service would, however, require a fourth ATM, including nuclear core reloading, component overhauls, and modernization of obsolete systems, an extremely costly undertaking. The reactors would otherwise provide a ten-year operational window, making fuel preservation between 2028 and 2038 essential to avoid premature exhaustion.

Historically, France has sought a second carrier since the retirement of the Foch and the limited availability imposed by Charles de Gaulle’s maintenance schedule. The earlier PA2 program, based on the British Queen Elizabeth class and pursued between 2003 and 2009, was abandoned in 2013. The current PA-NG program was formally launched by President Emmanuel Macron in December 2020, with nuclear propulsion chosen over conventional systems. The PA-NG’s broader mission profile, including nuclear deterrence via the Force Aéronavale Nucléaire (FANu), aligns with strategic priorities in the Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean. France’s integration of next-generation command and control, EMALS, drones, and NGF aircraft will position the PA-NG carrier as a central node in a future multi-domain battle network, comparable to the U.S. Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiative.